many African leaders insist on re-inventing the wheel, and walk their own long way to discover that the communist system works only on paper. ‘This does not only happen in African states,’ said John, ‘it also happens right here within the South African Council of Churches. The udf likewise believes that Marx is the answer. They are the people that believe that socialism is the answer to our woes. Archbishop Desmond Tutu has openly come out in support of leftist movements. What they should do instead, both the Council of Churches and the udf, is openly reject these Marxist intentions. They should come out and squarely reject the use of violence in achieving their political goals. They have not done that. Bishop Tutu supports violence. We and fida reject that line of thinking. The same goes for some of those academics at the University of Stellenbosch who entertain contacts with organisations that advocate violence.’
I asked him what problems his moderate approach brought him and fida. Gogotya: ‘We have known periods when we were forced to guard our houses around the clock and in turn. We had repeatedly received word, that radicals were on the way to bomb our property. All this only strengthened our determination to have our voice of protest against mindless violence and intimidation be heard. Actually, fida is set up with methods identical to some which radical organisations have used. We formed fida cells and street-committees and now our tentacles spread to all parts of the country. We are everywhere, except in Natal. That is Inkatha country.’
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